Post-Kevin Spacey, Old Vic ‘guardians’ fight workplace abuse

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2008 file photo, actor Kevin Spacey arrives at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. A year after it became an unwilling focus for Britain's #MeToo movement, the Old Vic Theatre says it is trying to stamp out abuses of power in all workplaces.
The London theater company once led by actor Kevin Spacey said Monday, Oct. 1, 2018 that 20 cultural organizations have joined it in appointing workplace "guardians," specially trained staff who serve as a first line of defense against bullying, harassment and abuse(AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)

LONDON (AP) — A year after it became an unwilling focus for Britain’s #MeToo movement, the Old Vic Theatre says it is trying to stamp out abuses of power in all workplaces. The London theater…

LONDON (AP) — A year after it became an unwilling focus for Britain’s #MeToo movement, the Old Vic Theatre says it is trying to stamp out abuses of power in all workplaces.

The London theater company once led by actor Kevin Spacey said Monday that 20 cultural organizations have joined it in appointing workplace “guardians,” specially trained staff who serve as a first line of defense against bullying, harassment and abuse.

It has been a year since abuse allegations against film mogul Harvey Weinstein helped spark the “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” movements. The scandal rocked the Old Vic when former artistic director Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct.

In response, the Old Vic trained staff members to act as “confidential sounding boards” to employees experiencing abuse and unsure what to do.